Common TEFL Acronyms

Updated 13 June 2014

Here is a list of commonly used TEFL acronyms compiled from ESL Base, iteslj, Gone2Korea, Teaching ESL to Adults, and TEFL.net.

• 5W's = Who, What, Where, When and Why 
• 4 Skills = Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking

• ABD = All But Dissertation (meaning you've done the coursework for a PhD or EdD)
• ACTFL = American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (USA) 
• ADOS = Assistant Director of Studies
• AOP = Academic Oral Presentations
• APA = American Psychological Association
• ARELS = Association of Recognised English Language Services
• ASD: Autism Spectrum Disorder

• BASELT = British Association of State English Language Teaching
• BE = Bilingual Education / Business English
• BEC = Business English Certificate
• BC = British Council 
• BULATS = Business Language Testing Service

• CAE = Certificate in Advanced English, Cambridge Advanced English
• CALL = Computer Assisted Language Learning 
• CALLA = Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach 
• CALP = Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency 
• CBC = Criminal Background Check
• CBI = Content Based Instruction 
• CEELT = Cambridge Examination in English for Language Teachers
• CELTA = Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults 
• CELTYL = Certificate in English Language Teaching to Young Learners
• CILT = Centre for Information of Language Teaching and Research
• CLIL = Content and Language Integrated Learning
• CLL = Community Language Learning 
• CLT = Communicative Language Teaching 
• CRC = Criminal Record Check
• CPE = Cambridge Proficiency Examination
• CTESOL = Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

• DELTA = Diploma in English Language Training to Adults
• DOS = Director of Studies
• DL = Distance Learning 
• DPhil = Doctorate of Philosophy
• DTEFLA = Diploma in the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language

• EAL: English as an Additional Language
• EAP = English for Academic Purposes 
• ECIS = European Council of International Schools
• EdD = Doctor in Education
• EFL = English as a Foreign Language (Studying English in non-English-speaking countries) 
• ELI = English Language Instructor
• ELL = English Language Learner 
• ELICOS = English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students
• ELT = English Language Teaching (or sometimes Training)
• EMT = English Mother Tongue
• EMI = English as a Medium of Instruction
• EP = Transitional English Proficiency 
• EPIK = English Programme in Korea
• ESAC = English in Specific Academic Contexts
• ESL = English as a Second Language (Studying English as a non-native speaker in a country where English is spoken.) 
• ESOL = English to Speakers of Other Languages (Note: ESL and EFL are often used interchangeably.) 
• ESP = English for Specific Purposes / English for Special Purposes / English Speaking Environment
• EST = English for Science and Technology 
• EX: Exam Classes

• FCE = First Certificate in English
• FEC = Foreign Expert Certificate
• FEP = Fluent English Proficient (or Proficiency) 
• FES = Fluent English Speaker GTM = Grammar Translation Method
• FLT = Foreign Language Teaching 

• GEPIK = Gyeonggi-do English Programme in Korea
• GET =  Guest English Teacher

• HOD = Head Of Department

• IATEFL = International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (UK) 
• ICELT = In-service Certificate in English Language Teaching
• IDLTM = International Diploma in Language Teaching Management
• IELTS = International English Language Testing System
• IEP = Intensive English program 
• IH = International House
• IPA = International Phonetic Alphabet (or Association)
• KET = Key English Test

• L1 = "Language 1" = the student's native (primary or first acquired) language. 
• L2 = "Language 2" = the language being learned or studied 
• LDT = Language Development Training
• LEP = Limited English Proficiency (or Proficient) 
• LES = Limited English Speaker 
• LL = Language Lab 
• LMS = Language Minority Student 
• LOS = Letter of Release
• LS = Language Support
• LSA = Language Skills Assignment 
• LSAC = Listening and Speaking in Academic Contexts
• LSP = Languages for Special Purposes

• MLA = Modern Language Association 
• MLAT = The Modern Language Aptitude Test 
• MOE =  Ministry of Education, Metropolitan Office of Education
• MONO: Monolingual
• MULT = Multilingual

• NCTE = National Council of Teachers of English (United States of America) 
• NEP = Non English Proficient (or Proficiency) 
• NESE = Non-English Speaking Environment
• NET = Native English Teacher
• NNS = Non-Native Speaker 
• NS = Native Speaker 

• OH = Office hours
• OND = On Demand

• PET = Prelimiary English Test
• PGCE = Post Graduate Certificate in Education
• PhD = Doctor in Philosophy
• POE = Provincial Office of Education 
• PR  = Permanent Residency

• QTS = Qualified Teaching Status

• RP = Resident Permit
• RSA = Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce
• RWAC = Reading and Writing in Academic Contexts

• SLA = Second Language Acquisition 
• SMOE =  Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education
• SR = Special Requirements
• STT = Student Talking Time Time

• TALK =  Teach and Learn Korea
• TBA = To Be Announced
• TBC = To Be Confirmed
• TEFL = Teaching English as a Foreign Language 
• TESL = Teaching English as a Second Language 
• TESOL = Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc.
• TKT = Teaching Knowledge Test
• TOEFL = Test of English as a Foreign Language 
• TOEIC = Test of English for International Communication
• TL = Target Language 
• TPR = Total Physical Response 
• TPRS = Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling
• TSE = Test of Spoken English
• TTT = Teacher Talking Time 
• TWE = Test of Written English 

• UCLES = University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate

• VESL = Vocational English as a Second Language 
• VYL  = Very Young Learners

• YL = Young Learners 
• YLE = Young Learners English 

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